Year: 2023

01/06/2023

引言：

我们无法用我们自己的方法使我们称义，唯有神才能使人得称为义。

一、人的不义显出神的义(v1-8)

1. 人的不信无法废掉神的信（v1-4)

神拣选犹太人，为了将祂的旨意和计划交托给他们，好向世人启示出来。纵然犹太人中有不信的，但他们还是成就了神的托付，把神交付的话语保存下来，使所启示的旨意，不会因为部分犹太人的不信而落空，反而更衬托出神的信实。

2. 人的不义不能加增神的义（v5-8)

对于那些曲解并诋毁使徒的人，说保罗既然说人的不义（就是人犯罪）可以显出神的义，那他们不是就更加可以犯罪，因为犯更多的罪更能显出神的公义和恩典。

然而，这样的辩解是故意混乱真理、与神为敌，也证明他们不肯悔改认罪、接受神的救恩。而且，我们要知道，神也不需要透过人的犯罪而显出自己多么的公义、美善。

二、人不能因行律法称义(v9-20)

1. 因人的堕落和腐败（v9-18)

保罗带出，所有的人都在罪恶之下，因为所有的人都犯了罪。这段经文对人做了很透视的分析，揭开全人类的不义。在这里我们看见人完全堕落腐化。

因着人的罪性，今天就算我们是基督徒，我们也需要常常自我反省。

2. 因律法是使人知罪（v19-20)

神赐下律法，不是要使人借此得称义，而是要使人知罪。这就好比，除非我们认识什么是笔直，否则我们就不知道什么是歪曲。律法就象一条笔直的线。当人用律法来作自我审查时，就会发现自己是何等走歪了路。

因此，当我们想要用律法来拯救人脱离罪恶，就完全无济于事了。

三、人称义的方法

1.仰赖神的恩典（v21-26)

有一个计划已经显明出来，就是神可以公义地拯救不义的罪人。其方法是不要求人遵守律法。而是完全倚靠主耶稣在十字架上为我们支付了赎价，替我们满足了神公义的要求。

2.因着人的信心（v27-31)

如果我们是靠行为得救，就难免会自呜得意。不过，当我们是凭着信得救，就毫无夸口的余地了。因为信心乃是神所赐的。所以，真正的信，就是单单仰望基督为救主，而不是靠自己的努力来使自己称义。

总结：

今天，我们既透过耶稣基督得着白白的恩典，我们就不要再以行为来衡量我们是否称义。反而，今天因为我们得着这份的恩典，而愿意回应神，即愿意不断寻求自我更新，使我们的生命可以脱离老我，竭力活出基督的生命，从而满足、也成全了律法。

Romans 3: God alone justifies man to be righteous
GK611 Morning Devotion
1/6/2023
Speaker: Ps Stella Ling

Introduction:

We cannot be justified as righteous but God alone can justify man to be righteous.

1. Man’s unrighteousness reveals the righteousness of God (v1-8)

(1) Man’s unbelief cannot nullify God’s faith (v1-4)

God chose the Jews in order to entrust them with His will and plan, so that He might reveal it to the world. Even though there were unbelievers among the Jews, they fulfilled God’s commission and preserved the Word of God delivered to them, so that the will of revelation would not be defeated by the unbelief of some of the Jews, but would rather set forth the faithfulness of God.

(2) Man’s unrighteousness does not add to the righteousness of God (v5-8)

For those who misinterpret and denigrate the apostle, saying that since Paul says that human unrighteousness (that is, human sin) reveals the righteousness of God, then are they not all the more able to sin, because committing more sin reveals more of God’s righteousness and grace.

However, such an excuse is a deliberate confusion of the truth and an enemy of God, and proves that they will not repent and confess their sins and accept God’s salvation. Moreover, we need to know that God does not need to show how righteous and good He is through the sins of men.

2. man is not justified by the doing of the law (v9-20)

(1) by the corruption and depravity of man (v9-18)

Paul brings out that all men are under sin, because all have sinned. This passage gives a very penetrating analysis of man and unveils the unrighteousness of all mankind. Here we see the total depravity and corruption of man.

Because of man’s sinful nature, we need to reflect on ourselves often today, even if we are Christians.

(2) because the law is a conviction of sin (v19-20)

God did not give the law to justify man, but to convict him of sin. It is as if, unless we know what is straight, we do not know what is crooked. The law is like a straight line. When one uses the Law for self-examination, one realises how far one has gone astray.

Therefore, when we try to use the law to save people from their sins, it is completely useless.

3. the means by which a person is justified

(1) By the grace of God (v21-26)

A plan has been revealed that God can righteously save unrighteous sinners. This is done by not requiring man to keep the law. Rather, it relies entirely on the Lord Jesus paying the ransom for us on the cross and meeting the demands of God’s righteousness on our behalf.

(2) By the faith of man (v27-31)

If we are saved by works, we will inevitably be proud. However, when we are saved by faith, there is no room for boasting. For faith is the gift of God. Therefore, true faith is looking to Christ alone as Saviour, and not to our own efforts to justify ourselves.

Conclusion：

Today, having received freely given grace through Jesus Christ, we must no longer measure our righteousness by our works. Instead, today, because we have received this grace, we are willing to respond to God, i.e. we are willing to continually seek to renew ourselves so that our lives may be free from our old self and to strive to live the life of Christ, thus fulfilling and perfecting the law.

31/05/2023

引言：快乐不知时日过，困难总是能熬过

我们在享受快乐的时候，不知不觉时间就过了；在我们面对困难的时候，时间似乎过得很慢，但是总会过。无论我们如何，时间总是不等我们自己过；时间不会停，停的只是我们自己。今天的罗马书提醒我们，不要停在成为基督徒，更是要成为祝福！

一、谦卑顺服不论断

1. 远离骄傲（V1-3）

保罗特别对在罗马人中间的一些犹太人说话。犹太人是蒙神所拣选的族类，但后来有些犹太人便因此心生骄傲，常以真理来指责他人。所以保罗不断勉励他们应该要更严以律己、宽以待人，并且用更谦卑的心与他人相处。

2. 存敬畏的心（V4-6）

论断和审判的原文是同一个词。论断其实是在藐视神，当神是不存在的。保罗其实是不断提醒一些当地的犹太人，不要自以为是去用真理指责当地的人。这也在提醒我们不要成为“神”，去急着论断别人的问题。神用慈爱等待每一个人悔改，也在等待我们悔改。

二、竭力悔改得祝福

1. 神从不偏待人（V7-11）

神必按照个人的行为施行审判。神是不偏待人的，因为祂是公义的神。若行好的，神自会奖赏；若行不好的，审判会临到。而且，先是犹太人，后是希腊人；这也应用到今天是先是基督徒，后是未信的人。

2. 神审判的标准（V12-16）

“不知者无罪”，人只会因他所知道而被定罪。看起来好像没有读过律法，不认识世界的人更占优势。但即使外邦人没读过圣经、没听过律法，但他们的良心也是知道的。保罗也提到，他们的是非之心也可同作见证。

每个人最后都会要面对神的审判，求圣灵时刻光照我们，我们的回应是要竭力悔改。

三、活出真实不虚假（V17-24）

犹太人觉得自己就神律法，以为神托付律法给他们。他们虽然知道神的心意，却没有活出信仰而被定罪。因为他们觉得自己是师傅，但表里不一，明知故犯就是在羞辱神。这也在提醒我们基督徒拥有神儿女的身份和地位又有神的话引导。如果我们行事为人和世人没有两样，这就是在羞辱神的名，严重得罪神。

四、竭力努力不停步（V25-29）

保罗说：“惟有里面作的，才是真犹太人；真割礼也是心里的，在乎灵，不在乎仪文。”（V29）。神看我们的良心，是否真的把真理、神的形象活出来。当圣灵不断光照我们，我们就不断悔改。

总结：成为基督徒，更要成为祝福！

神在提醒我们，不要成为基督徒后，就停滞不前，甚至觉得自己得到救恩就好了。让我们彼此鼓励，以谦卑柔和的心活出爱，继续迈向耶稣给我们的使命，成为众人的榜样，成为祝福。

Romans 2: Rise up with all effort, become a blessing
GK611 Morning Devotion
31/05/2023
Speaker: Co- worker Asher Chang

Introduction:

When we are happy, we don’t know that time has passed; when we are facing difficulties, time always passes
When we enjoy happiness, we don’t know that time has passed; when we face difficulties, time seems to pass slowly, but it always passes. No matter what we do, time always does not wait for us to pass by ourselves; time does not stop, we are the only one who stops. Today’s Romans reminded us not to stop at being a Christian, but to be a blessing!

1. Humble and obedient without judgment

(1) Keep away from pride (v1-3)

Paul spoke especially to some of the Jews who were among the Romans. The Jews were God’s chosen people, but later some of them became proud and used to accuse others with the truth. Therefore, Paul constantly exhorted them to be more strict with themselves, to be lenient with others, and to deal with others with a more humble heart.

(2) Have a fearful heart (V4-6)

Judgement and judgment are the same word in the original language. To judge is actually to defy God, when God does not exist. Paul was actually reminding some of the local Jews that they should not presume to accuse the local people with the truth. This is also a reminder that we should not become “God” and rush to judge others’ problems. God waits in love for each person to repent, and for us to repent as well.

2. Repent and be blessed

(1) God is never partial to people (V7-11)

God will execute judgment according to the works of individuals. God is not partial, for He is a God of righteousness. God will reward those who have done well, but if they have done badly, judgment will come. Moreover, the Jews came first, then the Greeks; and this applies today to Christians first, then unbelievers.

(2) The Standard of God’s Judgment (V12-16)

“He who does not know is not guilty”; man will only be condemned for what he knows. It may seem as if those who have not read the law and do not know the world have the greater advantage. But even if the Gentiles had not read the Bible or heard the law, their conscience knew it. Paul also mentions that their hearts of right and wrong can also be witnessed together. Everyone will face the judgment of God in the end. We ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us at all times, and our response is to repent with all our might.

3. Living Truthfully and Not Fake (V17-24)

The Jews felt that they were under God’s law, and thought that God had entrusted the law to them.
Although they knew the mind of God, they were condemned for not living out their faith. For they felt they were masters, but to be untrue in appearance and deliberately sin is to dishonour God. This is also a reminder that Christians have the status and position of children of God and are guided by the Word of God. If we act like the world, we are disgracing the name of God and seriously offending Him.

4. Strive hard and do not stop (V25-29)

Paul said, “but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter;” (V29). God looks at our conscience to see if we are really living out the truth, the image of God. When the Holy Spirit keeps enlightening us, we keep repenting.

Conclusion: Become a Christian and more importantly, become a blessing!

God is reminding us not to become Christians and then stagnate, or even think that we are just fine with salvation. Let us encourage one another to live out love with humble and gentle hearts, and continue to move toward the mission Jesus has given us, to be an example to all and to be a blessing.

30/05/2023

引言 :

引言：保罗为何热衷于传福音？

一、传神福音的使徒 (V1-7)

保罗形容自己是耶稣基督的仆人，奉召成为使徒，特派为传神的福音。他自认是蒙神拣选作为传神福音的使徒，而且他传福音的对象是万国。

‘福音’希腊文意思是‘好消息’。使徒保罗在此声明他所传的‘福音’，是早在旧约时代就已经预言了。有先知预告基督是大卫王的后代；祂会在世上行神迹奇事；祂会死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。

我们蒙拣选得救恩，是为要传福音，传扬主耶稣是神的儿子、是基督。

二、福音要给所有人 (V8-17)

保罗要去罗马，他不单止要得着罗马的人，他是要得着所有的人。在罗马的除了有犹太人，也有很多外邦人，保罗说欠了他们‘福音的债’，因为福音要传给所有人！

本来是逼迫基督徒的罪魁祸首保罗，得到神的救恩，而且还指派他特别的务，要他去向各式各样的人传福音。所以保罗只要是内可以传福音的，他就一定要去。否则他就觉得欠了他们福音的债。其实我们也是领受了主耶稣极大的恩典﹗所以我们都要有保罗那种‘欠福音债’的心态，积极地去传福音给所有的人，因为神要救一切相信祂的人。

三、不承认神惹神怒 (V18-32)

1.故意不承认真神（V18-23）

这里指出人对神的不虔诚和不恭敬，表现在人不承认神透过天地万物，所带给他们的启示。而且还拜偶像把荣耀归给偶像和受造之物。所以人犯罪不是因为不认识神，乃是因为故意不承认真神。

2. 神因忿怒任凭人（V24-32）

‘任凭’的意思不是说神认可或放纵，而是由人选择自己的路，让人自食其果。所以神的忿怒就是显明在祂任凭人自作自受，人要承受自己犯罪的一切后果。人在行事中没有神，就‘放纵可羞耻的情慾’，‘存邪僻的心，行不合神意的事’，就是第29-31节所提到的21样‘不虔不义’的事。他们虽知道行这样事的人是当死的，然而他们不但自己去行，还喜欢拉人一同行进罪中！

保罗列出的罪，是世人所犯的罪，古今都有，今天更是变本加厉，而世人正在自食其果！

总结：

林前9:16 …若不传福音，我便有祸了。
我们都要传扬神大能的福音，让更多人得知神的大能！因信得救！因信得生！

Romans 1: Preaching the Powerful Gospel of God
GK611 Morning Devotion
30/5/2023
Speaker: Ps Daniel

Introduction: Why was Paul passionate about preaching the gospel?

1. The Apostle who preached the gospel of God (V1-7)

Paul described himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, and sent to preach the gospel of God. He considered himself to be chosen by God as an apostle to preach the gospel of God, and that he preached the gospel to all nations.

The Greek word for ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’. The apostle Paul declares here that the ‘gospel’ he preached was foretold as far back as the days of the Old Testament. Some prophets foretold that Jesus Christ was a descendant of King David; that He would do signs and wonders in the world; that He would rise from the dead and reveal Himself in power as the Son of God.

We were chosen for salvation in order to preach the gospel and to proclaim the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and the Christ.

2. The Gospel is to be given to all men (V8-17)

Paul was going to Rome, and he did not only want to reach the people of Rome, but all the people. There were not only Jews in Rome, but also many Gentiles, to whom Paul said he owed a ‘gospel debt’, for the gospel was to be preached to all men!

Paul, who had been the culprit of the persecution of Christians, received salvation from God, and was assigned a special task to preach the gospel to all kinds of people. Therefore, Paul had to go to all those who were within his power to preach the gospel. Otherwise he would have felt indebted to them for the gospel. So we all need to have the same ‘indebted to the gospel’ mentality that Paul had, and actively preach the gospel to all people, because God wants to save all those who believe in Him.

3. Not acknowledging God provokes God’s anger (V18-32)

(1) Deliberately denial of the true God (V18-23)

Here it is pointed out that man’s ungodliness and irreverence toward God are manifested in his failure to recognise the revelation that God has brought to them through all things in heaven and earth. Moreover, they worship idols and give glory to them and to create things. Therefore, men do not sin because they do not know God, but because they deliberately do not recognise the true God.

(2) God gave man up to wrath (V24-32)

The word ‘let’ does not mean that God approves or indulges, but that man chooses his own way and lets him eat his own fruit. So the wrath of God is revealed in the fact that He leaves man to his own devices, and man will suffer all the consequences of his own sin. Without God in his actions, man ‘indulges in shameful lusts’ and ‘has an evil heart and does those things which are not reasonable’, which are the 21 ‘ungodly and unrighteous’ things mentioned in verses 29-31. The 21 ‘ungodly and unrighteous’ things mentioned in verses 29-31. Although they know that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves, but also enjoy the practice of others, and drag them into sin together!
The sins listed by Paul are the sins of the world, which have been committed in the past and in the present, and are being intensified today, and the world is eating its own fruit!

Conclusion:

1 Cor 9:16 …woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
We all need to preach the mighty gospel of God so that more people will learn of God’s power! Receiving salvation by faith! Receiving life by faith!